The Energy of Life
by Picklepeppers
Summary: "Sometimes the best way to appreciate something is to be without it for a while." Post Movie 17. [Pikachu/Ash Friendship]


**Hey guys! I know, I know...I'm on a big hiatus right now, but I JUST COULDN'T RESIST OMG! I just watched Movie 17 the other day and I was literally crying like a baby at the end! D: THE FEELS! **

** I just HAD to post a story based off of it, i just had to! So this is the result of it! Plus, some bro time with Ash and Clemont! Ash has had some 1 on 1 time with Serena and Bonnie so far in the series, but not Clemont, so I thought this would be a good thing!**

**I hope you enjoy!(: **

**WARNING: Contains spoilers for Movie 17: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction**

The late night stars glittered above the forests of Kalos, their bright spots scattered around the pale, wide moon. Bathed in moonlight was a small clearing, where our young heroes had decided to set up camp for the night.

The past few days had been filled with adventure that no other kids their age had ever experienced before. But this was normal for Ash. To him, it seemed he had always found himself in the stickiest of situations. And yet again, they had managed to save the world from impending disaster. After Yveltal was calmed and life restored to the destroyed forest, Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie all said their heartfelt goodbyes to Diancie, before heading off again down the road.

But something about Ash had changed after the events of today.

Clemont looked up from fiddling with his latest invention, the warm glow of the campfire illuminating the grounds before him. Serena and Bonnie, both exhausted from the adventure, retired to bed early, their soft snores buried beneath the sounds of the night. His eyes flickered over as movement caught his eye, watching Pikachu stir from where he slept by the fire. His bright yellow fur glowed warmly in the firelight, illuminating off his curled figure as he slept peacefully. Ash, however, hadn't returned to camp for a while.

Ever since they had left Diancie, Ash hadn't let Pikachu out of his sight. He kept him close on his shoulder, and even carried him in his arms. Even now, at least 5 times this night Ash had returned to camp for a moment, thinking Clemont and the others weren't looking. He'd bend down to his exhausted partner, Pikachu, and watch for a moment, his fingers stroking Pikachu's yellow fur softly. Clemont had noticed how Ash's eyes darted all over his pokemon, filled with concern. He knew that he was checking to see if Pikachu was okay, and that he was still alive and breathing.

He didn't blame him.

Getting up, he quietly made his way out of the clearing to look for his troubled friend.

...

_Thump. "Pii-kaa..."_

_Ash whirled around, feeling ice drop into his stomach at the sight of his partner Pikachu hitting the ground with a thud._

_"Pikachu!" He quickly dropped to his knees, cradling him in his arms, "Pikachu, tell me what's wrong!"_

Ash brought his knees closer to his chest, tightening his grip around himself as frightening images of today replayed in his mind. The wind caressed his unkempt black hair, billowing through the tree he sat below and through the flowers of the field before him. He glanced up at the starry sky, unable to banish the thought of what happened to Pikachu. From the moment it happened, he couldn't shake the feeling of shock and dread that was deeply rooted into his soul.

He clenched his fist, if only he had known. If only he had paid more attention to what was going on, then he could have noticed sooner that Pikachu had got hit on the tail by Yveltal's beam. He could have stopped it, helped Pikachu before it happened.

He knew deep in his heart that there was nothing he could have done, though. Only Xernea's life force would have brought him back. He didn't even want to think about what would have happened if Xerneas didn't show up.

Nothing had scared him more than what had happened today. The sight of Pikachu dying, _dying_ in his arms had haunted him since. It had all happened so quickly. And his eyes, _oh_ his eyes.

_"Pika-Pi..." _

_Pikachu looked up at him with sad, glittering brown eyes. So many emotions could be found within those copper pools. Love, devotion, sorrow. Goodbye. _

_He breathed his last as the stone spread up his body, closing his eyes. Ash sucked in a dry sob, trembling head to toe. His eyes were wide, filled with terror and grief. _

_"No Pikachu..." he let out a strangled whisper, hoping and waiting. Pikachu did not stir._

_His voice quickly crescendoed, cracking and becoming hoarse in despair, "C'mon Pikachu! PIKACHU!"_

_"COME BACK, PIKACHU!"_

Ash bit his lip, burying his face into his knees and trying to forcefully hold back the tears gathering in his eyes for the umpteenth time that night. No, he wasn't going to cry. Crying doesn't help anything.

"Everything ok, Ash?"

Ash jumped, looking to his side and seeing Clemont walk over and settle himself next to him.

Ash gave him a half-smile, feeling grateful. He knew that his friends were concerned for him, and he should've known one of them would check on him, "Yeah, I'm ok Clemont." he lied, feeling his insides squirm uneasily from it.

"I don't think so." Clemont quickly countered, "Something's been bothering you all night. We're all worried about you."

"I said I'm fine." Ash retorted hastily, looking away with guilt.

Clemont, losing his patience with the prideful boy, quickly cut to the chase, "It's Pikachu, isn't it? With what happened today?"

Ash visibly cringed, still looking away. There was a long pause of silence, as Clemont watched Ash's body begin to tremble with unreleased sobs. From his short time accompanying Ash in his travels, he had learned that Ash was not one to cry. At all. He was always that ambitious, brave kid that he knew. But at the moment his friend looked like a lost child, shaking like a volcano about to erupt.

There was a sniffle, and Ash furiously scrubbed at his eyes, feeling completely embarrassed about crying in front of his friend.

Clemont sighed, patting him on the back, "Ash, I know you don't think its brave...or that it solves anything, but...It's ok to cry sometimes." he looked at him, "You just have to let it out."

At that Ash inhaled sharply, a loud choking sob erupting from his throat as all his built up emotions from before came out in a rush. He heaved and a loud, wailing sob burst from his lips, his body trembling as he curled in on himself. Hot tears gushed from his eyes, pattering down and soaking the front of his shirt. Clemont sat by him, not saying a word and patting the boy's back comfortingly as Ash sobbed loudly.

Minutes passed, as he sat in silence, listening to Ash's heart-wrenching sobs. It was really strange, to hear the strongest boy he knows break down like this. But everyone has their limits, and he knew that this traumatic experience today was Ash's.

Ash's wailing sobs quieted after many minutes passed, into short, hiccupping sobs. He lifted his head from his curled in position, eyes red from crying as tears continued to stream down his cheeks, "I-I'm so-orrry Clemont.." he hiccupped, wiping at his eyes, "This is so -hic- embarrassing..."

"Don't be embarrassed, Ash. Everybody cries." he gave him a reassuring pat.

"Almost losing Pikachu today..." Ash sobbed quietly, eyes full of sorrow, "I-...I never thought...Since the incident with the Spearow on the day we met...nothing like this has ever happened before." he fumbled over words, "No matter what situation, we've always overcome it, and we've evaded trouble so many times. It just seemed today, looking down at him as he turned into stone. He was looking up at me with those soft eyes, pleading, saying goodbye..." his voice faded into a whimper, trembling as a flood of tears poured from his eyes.

He paused for a minute, trying to regain his bearings as he cried silently. He looked up once more, "I feel like I let him down. I feel like it's my fault something like that happened to him." his voice was quickly rising, tears continuous, "I'm his trainer, I'm supposed to protect him, take care of him! Instead he was protecting me, and he got hurt from it!"

He bent over, hands clutching the grass, "He's my closest friend, my number one pal, and my partner. I'm so afraid...I-I can't bear to lost him. It's unthinkable. If anything were to happen to him I...I...!" he choked, eyes clenched shut painfully.

"Ash!" Clemont interjected, causing the boy to look up slowly, "There was nothing you could have done to prevent what happened to Pikachu. There was no way Yveltal's beam could have been blocked, and both of you did everything you could to evade him. So stop beating yourself up over that."

"In my entire life I have never met a human and his pokemon so connected, so bonded together like you and Pikachu are." Clemont continued, "It's like your minds and souls are connected...like you were born to meet each other and become partners."

Ash let out a watery laugh, a smile breaking onto his tear-stained face.

Clemont smiled, continuing, "Nothing could ever break that bond you have with Pikachu. I know that the two of you can overcome anything, even death its self could be prevented by you too. Even though not scientifically correct, what the two of you can do can break the laws of even science. So don't worry about the future...worry about today, and now. Pikachu is alive, breathing, and still by your side. And I don't think he'll leave any time at all..." he smiled.

Ash sniffled, tears still pouring from his eyes as a watery smile graced his features, "Thanks, Clemont.." he squeaked.

"Pika-Pi!"

Ash jumped, wheeling around to see Pikachu quickly bounding across the field behind them, clearly sensing his trainer's distress and running to his side.

"Pikachu!" Ash hiccupped hoarsely, opening his arms wide as Pikachu leaped into them, immediately crushing the little yellow pokemon to his chest.

"Pika-Pi! Pikachu-Pi-Pi!" Pikachu pipped, his wide brown eyes full of concern for his best friend.

"Pikachu..." Ash whispered softly, tears dripping down his cheeks and down onto Pikachu, "I-...I don't I don't ever want to l-loo...l..." he tried to make out between quick sobs.

Pikachu knew what he was going to say, craning his neck upwards and licking his cheek. Ash didn't need to finish his sentence, Pikachu felt what he was feeling.

Ash let out a soft, crackly laugh, understanding. He bent forward, burying his face into the soft bundle of fur he cradled in his arms. Pikachu curled into his best friend, burying his nose in the crook of his neck as Ash rocked them back and forth, comforting himself in Pikachu's presence. Clemont was right. Pikachu was alive, breathing, and still here in his arms...that's all that mattered.

Clemont smiled, quietly slipping away back to camp, knowing that his work here was done. Fresh wounds from today were quickly being healed, through the unbreakable and loving bond between trainer and pokemon. He knew that nothing would ever stand in Ash and Pikachu's way, as long as they remained together.

It wasn't just Xernea's life energy that brought Pikachu back...they gave each other life.


End file.
